Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-11-26
The MASTER WORKMAN
Jolus Issue with the asorgs Msn-A Dem
ocratic View.

JoIus Issue with u. asorEs Msn-A Dem.
ocratic Wow.
PHILADELPHIA, November 25.-T. v.
Powdcrly, Master workmanof the knights
Of Labor, this week commences the publ
cation Of series Of letters In the Official
organ Of the order, containing suggestions
upon which q popular vote Of the members
may soon he asked
Mr.. Powderly join, issue with tho CON-
mon property theory. lie afiirms the
charges against specuIators aud greedy
landlords, but gives the Knights Of Labor
the credit Of forcing the fight, until now
are seen public officials. LEGISLATOR, heads
Of departments, Senators and the Presi.
dent himself stretching forth their hands
to save the heritage Of the people.
''Individuals," says be, might have
raised their voices In vain; they might
have written and prayed; isolated orgnni.
cations Of men might have petitioned the
lawmakers not In give away the lands, and
their voices, prayers and petitions would
have gone forth unhcard had not The
united voice Of men and women who be-
lieyed and declared that not another acre
for railroads or speculstors' should bs
given or bartsred away forever.
ITO no other organization belongs ths
credit Of calling attention 70 the ravages Of
the land speculAtor. knights Of Labor
have kept the question prominently before
the people In season aud out OF season, and
before our mission In ended the unholy
grasp OF the speculator and the alien land.
lord will be removed from the soil tor
ever. To day In every town and hamlet
the land question In being studied and thu
simple proposition Of the knights Of Labor
stands up In giant form before every man
and woman who tolls and f~els m interest
In the country We inhabit. Theories hfe
advanced which In themselves SQUAD very
nice n TO the ownership Of oil The land by
the people in common Before that OBJ
iect can be attained the people must learn
70 think in common It must fint no
demonstrated that the idea IL practicable.
once believed that the people could own
and ill the soil In common. I did not
believe that Il ws right Tor 90 individus!
10 hold absolute ownership Of the soil. To-
day know that IN individual canpot bold
absolut. title TO the soil if the interests Of
the people in common requine that II
should be othsrwiss.
"I no longer believe that that the psopis
in common can ill the soil and own 10 In
common; 6rst, because they do not think
in common;' second, becsasc the people
are only people and rot sagsis In other
words, the people sfe not good enough Jet
10 discard the native seilshpea which was
horn In them. We must take men sud
women ~ we 6nd them. Al We hsd nsn
and women to-day, they are sslnsh and
grasping. Each one has desire 20 own
and control home Of his Own, and ny
efforts will be put forth 20 ths ssd that
each man who wishes 70 may own hjs own
home. II every man owned his owu homs
labor wonld be more appreciated ttan II
ID. The desire 70 rednce The houn of ishos
would be greater, for every inse woeld
have splaee on which TO erpend hs spare
moments.
Setting aside the fstare of ths1Apd,
the one idea 90 which Ill men can matte h
that the Land should be kspt from shasis,
spectators knsves and Land grsbberS--
native, nstorslIzed os alien. On this
principle the knights II Labor hsve ssitsd
over million psopie, Ses no ,nsttss bow
many membess may have ddftaA svsy,
they were . unit on that Questios sd
still believe u tsue."